The DAC global relations strategy establishes objectives, priority partners and instruments for engaging with key development stakeholders beyond the DAC membership. It also emphasises enlarging DAC membership and the participation of non-member economies and organisations in the Committee

In a dynamic and increasingly interconnected global economy, a growing number of countries and organisations have rising influence over poverty reduction and sustainable growth worldwide. The past decade saw the beginning of a significant re-alignment of the world economy, when OECD non-member economies drove global economic growth and markedly increased their share of global output. In 2010 they accounted for nearly half of the world’s gross domestic product, compared to 40% in 2000, and this trend is likely to continue. As a result of increasing wealth, several emerging economies have developed into global decision-makers, increased their presence in developing country markets and taken on new responsibilities for international development co-operation and the global economy.

Developing countries beyond the emerging economies are taking greater ownership of their own development paths and donors are increasingly supporting their leadership role, prompted by a commitment to make their aid more effective. They are also increasingly collaborating among themselves to share experiences and solutions to common development challenges, giving new momentum to south-south and triangular co-operation initiatives.

Other key development stakeholders include international organisations, the private sector, private foundations, and civil society organisations (CSOs). International organisations provide financial support and technical expertise to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development in developing countries. Even in times of financial instability, the private sector remains the engine of growth, without which sustainable development is not possible. Many private foundations provide important amounts of concessional finance and expertise to support developing countries’ development, sometimes at levels comparable to DAC members. CSOs also make a fundamental contribution: they deliver services to poor people and promote transparency and accountability in public and private sector activities in developed and developing countries.

Dialogue with non-member economies is in the DAC’s nature, since its role is to support development of countries beyond its membership. The DAC has been reaching out to non-member economies for decades, maintaining regular dialogue with major non-DAC donors between the 1970s and the 1990s. Already in Shaping the 21st Century: The Contribution of Development Co-operation (1996), the DAC clearly recognised the need for a partnership approach to development beyond the circle of the Committee’s membership.

Interactions with non-member economies diminished at the beginning of the 2000s, but dialogue was reignited in the mid-2000s. Guided by its outreach strategy, the DAC promoted greater participation of OECD non-DAC members in the Committee’s activities, re-launched a regular dialogue with Arab donors, established contacts with emerging economies at various levels, and saw an increased number of non-members reporting on their aid flows to the OECD Development Co-operation Directorate (OECD/DCD).

The DAC is now committed to stepping up its efforts to engage with actors beyond its membership. The DAC Reflection Exercise [DCD/DAC(2009)23/FINAL], concluded in 2009, called for deepening the “inclusion of key development stakeholders” in all areas of the DAC’s work, including providers of development co-operation, developing countries, international organisations, private sector actors and funds, and CSOs. In July 2010, the OECD Council encouraged Committees to deepen relationships with non-member economies, particularly the OECD enhanced engagement countries (EE5) [C(2010)100/REV2]. Finally, in April 2011, the DAC welcomed the “contribution of all providers of development co-operation resources and expertise”, and expressed its hope “to forge new relationships

with these new partners through open dialogue without preconditions” [DCD/DAC(2011)10/REV1]. These developments spurred the Committee’s decision to adopt a new global relations strategy. This strategy responds to the DAC mandate [C(2010)123] and goes beyond previous DAC outreach strategies, aiming to strengthen participation of non-member economies in the Committee and promote collaboration with a larger group of development stakeholders. It corresponds to OECD Council guidelines on participation of non-member economies in OECD Committees4 and takes into account the Framework for an OECD Strategy on Development [C/MIN(2011)8].

The DAC global relations strategy establishes objectives, priority partners and instruments for engaging with key development stakeholders beyond the DAC membership. It also emphasises enlarging DAC membership and the participation of non-member economies and organisations in the Committee. Annex I presents a revision of the Aide Mémoire on the Accession of New DAC Members and Full Participants, and Annex II lists target partners, eligibility criteria, and the rights and obligations for full participants, regular and ad hoc observers to the DAC.

This global relations strategy will be implemented through annual work plans defining specific deliverables in line with the biennial programme of work and budget. At the end of two years of implementation, the DAC will take stock of the results achieved and will review this strategy. This will precede and inform the preparations of the programmes of work and budget.